Squires Castle is an amazing place that reminds you of a bygone era in Cleveland history. Great place to take photographs and to take the kids to explore. Information on Squires Castle from the The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History : “Squires Castle is a picturesque castellated and turreted ruin on Chagrin River Rd. in the N. Chagrin Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks. The irregular stone structure was originally built as part of the estate of Feargus B. Squire (1850-1932), vice-president and general manager of the Standard Oil Co. (OHIO) until 1909. Attracted by the beauty of the Chagrin Valley, Squire purchased 525 acres there in the 1890s. He engaged a New York architect and planned 2 buildings in the style of English or German baronial halls. The existing structure was erected to serve as a gatehouse and caretaker’s quarters, and the estate was improved with groves of trees, ponds, bridges, and miles of gravel roadway. The main residence was never built, and Squire built his principal home in Wickliffe. In 1922 the property was sold to a private land developer, and it was acquired by the Metropolitan Park Board in 1925 as the beginning of the N. Chagrin Reservation. Seriously vandalized and deteriorated, the gatehouse is now only a shell consisting of the stone and brick walls. Popularly known as “Squire’s Castle,” it is used as a shelterhouse and picnic area by park visitors. Renovations in 1995 included painting the ground floor of the castle with a waxed coating to deter vandalism”. Read more about Cleveland’s amazing history: http://ech.cwru.edu/

This weeks photo blog features Cleveland’s North Coast Harbor on a warm spring day. North Coast Harbor is home to amazing venues such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, FirstEnergy Stadium, USS Cod, Burke Lakefront Airport,the Great Lakes Science Center, Voinovich Bicentennial Park and the William G. Mather Maritime Museum. The harbor has be recently renovated and it is now possible to dock your personal watercraft or rent jet skis or kayaks.

Its been quite a while since my last blog post and I am going to attempt to be better at sharing new photos on here this year. I thought that I would get the year started off with a classic view of the Cleveland skyline. This Cleveland skyline photo was taken from Heritage Park near the Center St. swing bridge in the Cleveland Flats. Its a very popular location for photographing the Cleveland skyline because of the great view of the Terminal Tower, Key Bank Building and 200 Public Square (Huntington Bank). Another reason this location is so popular is the great reflections of the city and Veterans Memorial bridge.

“The Steamship William G. Mather is a retired Great Lakes bulk freighter now restored as a museum ship in Cleveland, Ohio, one of four in the Great Lakes region. She transported cargo such as ore, coal, stone, and grain to ports throughout the Great Lakes, and was nicknamed “The Ship That Built Cleveland” because Cleveland’s steel mills were a frequent destination.”

Today’s Cleveland photo was taken from the old Superior Rd. Viaduct near the Stonebridge Waterfront Apartments. I really love the way the city looks from this vantage point.

Today’s Quote: It’s really kind of hard to be a suburb of nothing. If you don’t have a downtown, you really don’t have anything. It’s hard to build a community around parking lots and subdivisions – Ed McMahon

In May of 1890, The Arcade opened its doors as one of the first indoor shopping centers in America. It was designed as a big-city mercantile enter by John M. Eisenmann and George H. Smith who modeled it after the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy. The cost to construct The Arcade was $875,000 then, and was financed by many of Cleveland’s most esteemed businessmen of the late 19th century—among them: John D. Rockefeller, Steven V. Harkness, Louis Severance, Charles Brush and Marcus Hanna. Rockefeller and Harkness are featured on gold emblems on the Arcade’s Euclid Avenue exterior.

Once known as Cleveland’s Crystal Palace The Arcade has always been one of Cleveland’s best-known landmarks. For more than 100 years, The Arcade offered unique shops, services and restaurants among the five indoor balconies and offices in the two ten-story towers. The Arcade was the first building in Cleveland and the ninth in the country to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Founded in 1915, Cleveland Play House is America’s first regional theatre. More than 12 million people have attended over 1,300 productions at Cleveland Play House including more than 130 American and/or World Premieres. Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Bloom and Managing Director Kevin Moore, Cleveland Play House is an artist-driven theatre that serves the Greater Cleveland community by holding true to its mission: To inspire, stimulate and entertain diverse audiences in Northeast Ohio by producing plays and theatre education programs of the highest professional standards.

This year the Cleveland Playhouse will move operations to the Allen Theatre in Playhouse Square Center.

What’s remarkable about a flamingo? Plenty. These birds are pink, have exceptionally long necks and the longest legs, in proportion to body size, of all birds. The beak is uniquely shaped and adapted for pumping and filtering water while feeding on crustaceans and algae in marshes and lagoons. Both in water and on land, flamingos are able to lock their long legs into position for resting and sleeping on one leg.

“After the Cleveland Orchestra’s inaugural concert at Severance Hall on February 5, 1931, a Cleveland newspaper editorial stated: “We believe that Mr. Severance intended to build a temple to music and not a temple to wealth; and we believe it is his intention that all music lovers should be welcome there.” John Long Severance was the president of the Musical Arts Association from 1921-1936, and he and his wife Elisabeth donated most of the funds necessary to erect the magnificent building meant to be the permanent home of the Orchestra. Severance Hall was designed by Walker & Weeks with an elegant Georgian exterior that harmonized with the classical architecture of other prominent buildings in the
University Circle area. The interior of the building reflects a combination of design styles, including Art Deco, Egyptian Revival, Classicism, and Modernism. The landmark building was recognized as one of the most modern, up-to-date concert facilities in America when it opened in 1931”.

If you would like to learn more about this building or John Long Severance and his wife Elisabeth I highly recommend the book Lost
Cleveland: Seven Wonders of the Sixth City by Michael Dealoia. You can find it here:

Located in beautiful Lakeview Cemetery, the James A. Garfield Monument is the final resting place of the 20th President of the United States and his family. Lake View’s most famous memorial was paid for by contributions from the citizens of the United States, and dedicated in 1890. It rests on the highest point in the Cemetery. From the second floor balcony, visitors can enjoy a five-mile view of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.

President Garfield is the only American President that you would be able to visit his birthplace, home and final resting place in one day.